Flotation of minerals.



R. F. BACON. FLOTATIN 0F MINERALS. APPLxcATmN man puma, 1914.

in la a r rrp*- BY MESN'E ASS'IL'GN- MENTS, T0 METALS RECOVERY CMPANY, A GORPO'RATXON 0F MANE.

FLOTATON 0F MLNEMLS.

ideas-.id

application lied August 14:, 13M.

To all fwom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, RAYMOND F. Bacon, a citizen otl the United States, residing at No. 4909 Forbes street, Pittsburgh, Allegheny county, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Flotation of Minerals; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description oi' the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine. The present invention relates to a method Vtor effecting the. iotation and separation of oxidized ores from the gangue with which they are associated, by first converting the oxi ,lized ores, in a finely divided condition, into sullids by the action of a soluble sullid, such as hydrogen sulid, and then subject ing' the ore to any of the 'familiar processes for effecting the separation of sulfide from gangue.

lY have discoveredthat the elliciency of the flotation is greatly enhanced by subjecting the oxidized ore to the action of the hydrogen sultid (or other soluble sullid) under pressure. rlfhus, for instance, the linely divided ore, slimes, or the like, are lirstadmitted into an iron receptacle, capable of resisting, with safety, the contemn plated internal pressure, a quantity oi' water which may conveniently amount to three limes the weight of the ore) is likewise admitted to the receptacle. rThe receptacle is then closed and hydrogen sulfid, under pressure, (preferably a pressure oi" 20 pounds per square inch) is admitted until a pres sure gage on the closed receptacle indicates the existence. oi such pressure within its interior. The pressure is then released, the reeelitacle is opened, and the mixture is then subjected to llotatiou. The conversion ot' the oxidized ore by the hydrogen sultid under pressure, apparently results in the formation oli a sultid having different physical properties than the sullid produced by the action ot' hydrogen sull'id under ordinary atmospheric pressure, and these ditlerent physical properties adapt the converted ore particles more fully and completely into n'ial'erial susceptible to'llotation by oil.

ySpecfieation o Letters Patent.

'Patented Apr. g5, i916.

amai. No. aterra.

A suitable apparatus for the practice ot' the invention is illustrated, partly in section, and partly in elevation, in the accompanying drawing; but it .will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific form or forms of apparatus.

In the drawing, l indicates the vessel in which the ore and Water is received, and which may be provided with a rotary propeller or stirrer or beater 4:. Suitable pipes 2 and 3, are provided for the introduction of the ore and oil (where oil is used), and alpre-ssure gage 5 is provided 'for indicating the pressure within the vessel. Hydrogen sull-id is generated at G and forced into the vessel l, under a Suitable pressure by means of the pump 7. From the vessel l, the treated ore is discharged through the outlet pipe S to the flotation tank or cell 9, which may be ot any suitable' type.

In practising the process, in the apparatus illustrated, the, hydrogen sultid is pumped into the vessel 1 under a. suitable pressure, such as that referred to above; or the hydrogen sultid is pumped in until the pressure has reached the proper degree. rl`he vessel l, as indicated above, is capable ot resisting with safety, the contemplated Vinternal. pressure,

il hat l. claim is:

1. The method or' el'ecting the separation ol: oxidized ores from associated gangue, which consists in subjecting the mixture, in a finely divided condition, to the action ol" hydrogen sullid under pressure, and finally subjecting the mixture to flotation; substantially as described.

Q. The method of effecting the separa` tion et oxidized ores which consists in sulijecting the mixture, in a finely divided condition, to the action of hydrogen suliid under a pressure as high as 2l) pounds to the square inch, and subjecting the mixture tially as described.

ln testimony whereof l ailix my signa ture, in presence of two witnesses.

RAYMOND F. BACON.

lVitnesses N.' A. Parkinson; E, B. 'IEnrouul troni associated garrigue,

finally, to liotation; substan- 

